Saving Private Lori
by SizzlR
Summary: Lori Loud is the glue that holds her chaotic family together. So when she goes off to tour her first choice college, the Loud's fear for the worst and head on a cross country trip to California to save her from her greatest enemy; growing up. Cover by FaucetBot
1. Acceptance

**Hello, everyone. This story is actually based off my idea of what I wanted The Loud House movie to look like. The premise is sinple: a cross country journey. I think this has the potential to be my best story yet, so every amount of support you can give is appreciated. Thanks in advance, and be sure to rate, review, and the whole shebang. So here it is; Chapter 1 of 'The Loudest Journey.' enjoy.**

The white mailbox that sat at the front of the house wasn't too impressive, but it got the job done. True, it stood crooked to the post it so crudely sat on, and yes, it did have more than enough dents in it, and MAYBE it had one too many chipped off pieces of paint covering it… but it WORKED. And to the owner of the house that it belonged to, a humble restaurant chef named Lynn Loud, as long as it worked, it was usable: no matter HOW crummy or broken it may be.

To the mailman that drove the Franklin Avenue route through Royal Woods, it was a downright STUPID word to live by. He had seem many a pathetic mailbox in his day, but THAT one? It took the cake, no question. One would think that after a while you'd cave in and fork over some cash to get an upgrade; unfortunately, these folks didn't exactly look like they were rolling in dough.

Oh, well. It wasn't his business to pry into anyone's life. He was there to deliver mail, not contemplate. He fingered his way through letters, pulling out ones with the correct address on them. One for the man himself, one for Rita, a postcard for Lola…

Ok, so he wasn't SUPPOSED to look through letters. A man's only got so much to enjoy though, you know?

Either way, the bright blue and yellow envelope stood out in the Loud pile like a sore thumb. It was addressed to one Lori Loud, whoever that was. You never knew with this family; they seemed to have cousins or someone else over every day. Even in the WINTER, and NOBODY went anywhere then.

His curiosity got the better of him, and he flipped the envelope over to read the address.

"Huh," he offhandedly grunted. "Puebla College. Not bad, Loud, not bad…"

He quickly slipped the mail into the crummy old mailbox and hopped back into the car, humming a merry tune along the way. The sun began to rise, and his shift would soon be done. And the closer it got to Friday, the closer it got to payday.

Boy, he loved his job.

* * *

The alarm clock went off with a start, waking Lincoln up in a hurry. He groaned, rubbing his eyes together. Was it REALLY already 7? It couldn't be, he thought; he had only been sleeping for a few hours!

Oh, well. It was time for more same old, same old anyway. He yaened, getting out of his bed and slipping on a pair of jeans from his dresser.

"Ahhh, the first day of summer!" he said to no one in particular, taking off his night shirt. "School is nice and all, but once you get to summer vacation, you can't get enough of it! Sun, the beach, the pool… what isn't there to love?"

He threw on a clean orange polo from his closet and turned to his door. A strange sound was beginning to rise from the other side; a crude caterwaul that seemed to rise over the room like a cloud of smoke.

"Well, except for my sisters. They enjoy summer as much as I do... which means they can pretty mucg run wild. And if you've ever SEEN my sisters, you'd know that's a very, very, VERY bad thing."

He took a deep breath and swung open the door, revealing a scene of mass chaos. Nine girls were crowded in the hallway, each doing their own crazy activity. Lincoln sighed. For a boy to use the bathroom, he needed to plan ahead. And unfortunately for him, he had failed. Miserably. He was going to have to wing it.

"-sigh- Say your prayers, Sergeant… SEMPER FIII!"

He charged into the mass confusion, almost immediately running into a pair of twins.

"Lincoln!" one of them yelled, wearing a pink dress. "I need you to be the butler at my tea party!"

"Yeah! Hops and Izzy need another guest!"

"Uhh…" he stalled, trying to think. "How about you get Lisa to play? She can be the wizard!"

"Ooooh, good idea!" both squealed ad they ran to find their sister. Lincoln moved a few steps forward before being stopped again.

"Lincy! I can't feel my face!"

"Have you tried touching it?"

"Huh?" the tall girl asked, feeling her chin. "Oooh! Thanks, Lincoln!" she said as she walked away, humming a tune.

He tried moving forward once more, only to be tackled to the ground.

"AND LYNN LOUD GETS THE SACK ON BRADY! LIONS WIIIIIINNNN!" Lynn screamed as she got up and bolted down the stairs. Lincoln sat up, rubbing his head.

"Well, that happened…"

"LINCOLN! TELL ME IF YOU LIKE THIS JOKE!"

"HEY BRO, CHECK OUT THIS SWEET TUNE!"

"BROTHER, HAVE YOU SEEN MY LATEST CONCOCTION LAYING AROUND?!"

Girls began to crowd around him, each talking and shouting and grabbing at him. So this was it… the end of Lincoln Loud…

"You did good, soldier…" he whispered to himself as he braced for impact…

-INSERT-

 **TWEEEEEEEET!**

The shrill tone of a whistle blared through the hall like a siren, sending the kids hands up to cover their ears. Out of the farthest room, the tallest girl walked out, looking extremely annoyed.

"Alright, everyone downstairs!" she shouted. "Mom and Dad are trying to sleep!"

Reluctantly, the kids complied, leaving as quickly as they had appeared. Lincoln sat, staring into the distance. He had been saved… saved by a-

"LINCOLN!"

He jumped up and made a beeline towards the bathroom, where he managed to lock the door behind him. At last, some peace and quiet!

"Well, there you have it," he said once again to nobody. "It's a MADHOUSE out there in the mornings. You think having one brother is bad? Or two siblings? Try having TEN. All sisters, none the less."

He turned to the toilet, finally able to go number one in private. He finished, and flushing the toilet, went to the sink. As he washed his hands, he looked at himself in the mirror, his white hair glistening with sweat.

"Luckily, it isn't ALL that bad. Sure, they can be annoying at times, but when they actually help out and all, they can be pretty cool! Especially Lori. Without her, it would be… UGGH!"

He finished and opened the door a crack, making sure the coast was clear. No sign of intelligent life anywhere. He slowly tiptoed out the door, and swinging his head around, sprinted for his room.

He got there, slamming the door and covering it with his body. He breathed heavily as the paranoia gradually left.

"S-see, Lori is… sort of the GLUE of the family. Mom and Dad are the rule makers, but they have to work most of the time. There isn't much time to enforce for them. Without Lori, the entire systematic order of the Loud house would CRUMBLE!"

He sat down on his bed, pulling a comic out from under the covers.

"Well, at least it's over with… FOR NOW. You know there's going to be something else happening sometime. For now, I'm just gonna sit back, relax, and read this-"

"OH MY GOD! I GOT IN!"

Lori's high pitched scream was inmistakable. Lincoln jumped at its sound; Lori hardly EVER had that sort of tone.

It sounded… EXCITED.

* * *

"I GOT IN! I GOT IN!"

Lincoln walked downstairs, where the entire family was gathered around their oldest sister. Mom and Dad walked out of their room, seeing Lori jumping around like a madman.

"MOM! DAD! I GOT IN!"

"That's great, honey!" Lynn Sr said. "Uhh… to what?"

She shoved a blue and yellow envelope into her fathers hands, sending him stumbling backwards.

"To college! I got into one of my first schools!"

The air left the building… on a good way. The entire family (save Lincoln) beamed as they crowded around her, asking a variety of questions.

"Oooh! Where did you get into?!"

"How much does it cost?!"

"Is there a cafeteria?!"

"Alright, ALRIGHT!" Lynn said, pushing past his children towards Lori. "Honey, we're so proud of you!"

"Yes, we are!" Rita said, her smile the biggest of the familys. "So which college is it? Royal Woods Community?"

Lori, still smiling, shook her head no.

"Uhh… Michigan State?"

Same result.

"... Detroit?"

"No!" she said, happier than ever. "I got into Puebla! The nicest school in California!"

NOW the smiles in the room changed. The kids looked around, confused. No one had heard their sister mention a 'Puebla College.' and in California?

Lynn Sr seemed to be the most surprised by this. He looked at his daughter with a confused look on his face.

"What? You've never…"

"Mentioned it?" she interrupted. "Yeah, I know! I wanted to surprise you all if I got in! AND I DID!"

"But… even your PARENTS?" Rita asked. "Can I see the letter?"

"Oh, yeah, of course!" she said, handing the blue and yellow envelope to her mother. She reached in and opened the acceptance letter, reading it intently:

 ** _Miss Lori Louise Loud,_**

 ** _Congratulations! On behalf of the entire staff and community here at Puebla University, we are proud to be the first to tell you of your acceptance to the university. Welcome to the Puebla Marlins Family!_**

 ** _Along with this letter, you have also received a packet detailing the campus in beautiful downtown San Diego. Your official Marlin email address is also enclosed in a see rate envelope inside this packet._**

 ** _Once again, I wish you the best of summers and I hope to see you in the fall!_**

 _ **-Franklin Williams, President, Puebla Universit** y_

Rita looked up from the letter, a shocked look on her face.

"S-SAN DIEGO?!"

"Yeah! And guess what! Bobby got accepted, too! We're literally going to college together!"

She grabbed the letter away, screaming in delight. Her parents looked at each other with concern. The budget for their children's college was tight as is; the LAST thing they wanted was to go out of state.

"Well, honey, we're very happy for you, really, but-"

"We still need to tour the campus!"

Lynn Sr looked at his wife like she had gone insane, but Rita shushed him.

"-gasp- REALLY?!" Lori said in delight.

"REALLY?!" Lynn Sr said, not so delighted.

"Yes! We have to approve of the campus, you know! And there has to be a tour happening sometime this summer!"

"Well…" the father sputtered, trying to shoot down his wife's idea. "Well, we, uhh, we have no money!"

"Oh, sure we do! Your father has a savings account, IN BOTH OUR NAMES, for this sort of thing!"

"Wait we do? No we… oh, no. NOT the cowbell investment!"

"Oh, YES, the cowbell investment! I TOLD you it-"

"That's my bands future right there!" he complained, but it was no use. Rita had won this round.

"So… we're going to California?" Lincoln asked from the top of the stairs. Everyone looked towards him.

"Hmm…" Rita thought. "I… think you should stay here, kids. Flying isn't cheap, especially with 13 people."

They immediately began to complain, but the decision was final. Lori, Lynn Sr, and Rita would fly out to San Diego to confirm the admission during the next tour; which, conveniently enough, was that Saturday.

* * *

That had all taken place a few hours ago, and Lincoln sat in the dark of his room. Sure, he was happy for Lori. She deserved to go to the best college, after all; she was his sister! And in a cash strapped house like theirs, it wasn't an everyday occurrence to see people get into such an elusive campus.

But…

What about HIM?


	2. Convincing

**I just want to thank DarthSidious04, MicrowaveableRamen, and Dfelfkselkr for following the story, and DarthSidious04, Dfelfkselkr and Oaghorn the Shoehorn Wielder for favoriting. You guys rock! Tell your friends about the story! I'll also be responding to comments before the chapter, and so far we have 1 entry!**

 **DreadedCandiru2; I've explained it in this chapter, hopefully. If you don't get it, then tell me in the reviews.**

 **Hopefully you guys like this new entry, and I'll update as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!**

For as long as Lincoln could remember, Lori had been somewhere in the grand scheme. She had helped him learn to tie his shoes (he was a slow learner, but she was patient.) She had taught him how to beat anyone at mini golf; she was the best Lincoln had ever seen! Just the sheer THOUGHT of Lori leaving sounded… WRONG.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. At least she was happy with the whole thing, he supposed… of course she'd be, Lincoln, she chose the darn college!

It would be an adjustment, sure, but it was nothing the family couldn't deal with. He had always figured that his older siblings would have to go start their lives eventually, but that didn't lessen the reality of it. Even if there was 10 people in it, the house would feel… EMPTY without any one of them. They each had such a distinct personality that it would be easy to notice the difference.

At least, that's what Lincoln feared. For all he knew, no one would even care about her leaving. They were probably taking this a LOT better than him. And besides, she hadn't even accepted the offer yet. She still had to tour the place; and silently, Lincoln hoped that the tour would stink, and she wouldn't leave after all.

Yeah… that's what would happen…

 **5 Days Later…**

"HEY, DUDES! THE 'RENTS ARE ON THE PHONE!"

The ten siblings gathered around the landline to talk to their parents. They had just landed in California that morning and were calling from the airport.

"Hi, guys! We just got into the airport! Lori and Dad are still tired, so they're sitting over by the luggage. How is everything?"

"It's pretty good," Leni said from the back. "Lincy and I made a pie yesterday!"

"Yeah, it was nice…"

"I read a story to the twins!" Luan chimed in.

"-pft- Yeah, a LAME one. Stupid pigeon…"

"Oh! I finished my new song! Want to hear?"

"Oh, well, I actually have to-"

It was too late, however. Luna had already ran upstairs and came back strumming the guitar.

"WEEEEELLLLL…"

"Hold on, honey! Lori just woke up! She wants to say hi to all of you!"

The phone changed hands, and the voice of their oldest sister came on.

"Hi, guys!"

"Hi, Lori!" the kids said at different times with different levels of enthusiasm.

"How's California, Lori?" Lincoln asked, not looking up.

"Oh, it's good so far… I just got off the plane though, so I really don't-"

"Did you see any movie stars yet? I hear they live over there!"

"No, Lola, you're thinking about-"

"Have you been to any of the beaches yet? They say there's really nice surfing, and volleyball, and-"

"GUYS!"

The ten fell silent.

"I just got off the plane! I haven't even been here for five minutes! Chill out!"

They complied as Lori handed the phone back to her mother, who talked to them for a while before hanging up again.

"So Pop-Pop alreasy came to check in with you kids, right? Oh, good! We'll call you every night! Love you!"

The phone fell silent, and the kids all returned to the normal routine… except for Lincoln. He stood on the steps, looking down.

It was only a matter of time before someone noticed his moping, and sure enough, someone came over to him.

"What's wrong, Lincy?" Leni asked, a worried look on her face. "Are you sick?"

"-sigh- Not really…"

She looked at him, puzzled.

"Well, why do you look sad, then? You've been standing there for a while now…"

At last, his feelings got the better of him. He sat down on the steps, and caught up in his feelings, he rambled.

"Well… I guess it's just that Lori is going to college, you know?"

"Yeah…" Leni said, sitting on a lower step. "But that's good! She's going to have a job!"

"Yeah, I know that… but why does she have to go so far away? Wasn't the community college her first choice?"

"I thought it was," Luan said, passing at the bottom of the stairs. "I guess she just decided to change it."

"Well, that wasn't very nice of her…" Leni said, now realizing why Lincoln looked so down.

"It's just that… Lori's been with us for as long as I can remember! And soon, she WON'T be!"

Luna had been trying to get down the stairs, but stopped and sat behind her brother.

"Hey, bro, the times are changing. One minute everything's all fine and dandy, and the next someone's moving away. It's no big deal. We'll see her at holidays!"

"But… that isn't enough! It's just that with Lori here, the house feels… COMPLETE. Like, the wag it's SUPPOSED to be. Don't you guys feel that? That something isn't right here?"

One by one, the older siblings raised their heads. They looked around, confused at first, but gradually realizing what he was getting at.

"Yeah…" Luan said. "It feels kind of ominous without Lori here…"

"Yeah, dude. It feels weird without the Queen of No around…"

"See what I mean?" he asked, raising his voice. He felt invigorated by his sisters agreement. "Lori isn't just a PART of this house, she IS this house! Without her here, it's empty! A shell!"

There was a large thud from the upstairs. The twins were going at it again… and it sounded fierce.

"Oh, boy… someone better go stop them…"

None of the older siblings moved. Usually, their parents would be dealing with it, but that wasn't an option… truth be told, only one of them even bothered see rating those two. And right now, she was on the other side of the country.

The kids realized this, and their eyes went wide.

"Dude… we have to get Lori back," Luna whispered in a hushed voice.

"But… but how? She already said that's the college she wants! And Bobby going there, too! There's no way she'll change her mind!"

"I'm scared…" Leni whimpered. "How will we stop the fighting without Lori?"

The four siblings sat around each other, not knowing what to do about it. Ay last, they realized what Lori meant to them… and how miserable their lives would be without her.

"So we've got a goal, it seems…" Lincoln said, standing up. "We need to get Lori back to Royal Woods. The REAL question though is, how?"

"Well…" Luan pondered. "We could always tell her how WE feel and try to convince her to stay!"

They thought about it only for a split second before throwing the plan to the side. It was too direct… too obvious.

"How about… we write her… a letter?" Leni chimed in. "You know, we tell her what she means to us and why she should, like, stay!"

"No way," Lincoln said as he shook his head. "It's too pitiful, makes us look 're trying to get her back here, not give her a way to blackmail us."

"Well… I could always write a song! You know, like a chorus thing that we could perform. It worked with mom and pop with the spa, remember?"

"Yeah, true… but you see how THAT turned out. We need a way to surprise her, TRICK her into staying…"

Luna wore a worried look on her face.

"Uhh, bro, I don't know… shouldn't we just be honest with her? Not try to manipulate her emotions?"

Lincoln pretended like he didn't hear her. He was in the middle of formulating… he had no time. Usually, he would listen to his siblings advice, but the fate of the family had never been on the line before. There was a reason he was called the 'Man With the Plan;' because he ALWAYS had the right solution. He could travel far and wide to find a simple fix to ANY…

Travel… far and…

THAT'S IT!

A massive grin fell on his face. A plan had come to his head… a stupid one, maybe, but would it work? Definitely.

"Guys… we need to get to California before they leave. It's the only way."

The three looked at him as if his head had grown legs and walked out the front door.

"Dude. You can't be serious."

"Yeah, that's the best you could come up with? I've heard 'your mama' jokes better than that!"

"Lincy, I'm an airhead and even I know that's a dumb idea… no offense."

"None taken. But think about it, you guys! If we can find a way to get to San Diego, then that I'm itself would show how much we care about Lori! She'd HAVE to stay with us! There's no way she could say no!"

"Yeah, true. But did you think about what Mom and Dad would say, genius?"

"YES, as a matter of fact, I have! They would be thrilled! They wouldn't have to pay for airplane tickets home! They could drive Vanzilla!"

It had completely slipped their minds. Vanzilla was still sitting in the driveway; the three had called an Uber to take them to the airport. And as far as they knew, the keys were in their parents bedroom. Lincoln made a point, as ridiculous as it seemed.

"Well…"

"Come on, guys! This is the only way to get Lori back! If we lose her,this ouse is going to fall apart! You NEED to help me!"

"Help you with what?"

They looked up. The younger siblings had overheard the conversation, and they were now gathered at the top of the staircase.

"Well… we were just talking about a way to keep Lori here. But you guys shouldn't…"

"Let me guess: you're intending on stealing the van and driving o California to 'rescue' our eldest sibling."

"Wha…" he stammered. "How did you…"

"Easy, dearest brother. I heard it all through the walls of my room."

"Wow. Lisa, remind us to speak quieter next time," Luan said. "Because THAT IS creepy."

"Fear not, siblings. I actually intend to help you in this endeavor."

"Seriously?" Leni asked. "Why?"

"Simple: Lori was the one who changed Lily. Without her, that responsibility will be unfilled, unlike our youngest siblings diaper."

"Poo poo!" Lily laughed, clapping from behind them.

"Uhh, I do think mean to put a dent into the plans here, but who exactly is gonna DRIVE?" Lynn asked. "Leni doesn't have her license yet!"

"Yeah! We'd have to break laws to get there!" Lola complained.

"Law breaking?! COUNT ME IN!"

"UGH! Lana!"

"What? Rules are meant to be broken!"

"Settle down, you guys!" Lincoln said, raising his arms. "I know you're all conflicted, but we need to think!"

"Actually, that won't be necessary. I've been working on a prototype for a 'Performance Enhancing Neurological Subsystem,' otherwise known as PENS. I like acronyms."

"Uhhh… could you speak ENGLISH, Lis?"

"Certainly. It's basically a ray gun that increases mental capacity. I zap Leni with it and she'll be able to drive with no problem."

"Uhhh…" Leni groaned with worry. "I don't like that plan."

"Fear not, Leni. It's harmless. And I've already whipped up a faux Michigan drivers license for you."

"Wait… what?"

"Errr… I have to make money somehow, don't I?"

The group stared at her for a minute before shrugging it off.

"Alright then, so it's settled? All in favor of rescuing our sister, say I!"

The 'I's' came in shakily, but it was unanimous. The Loud siblings were going to California!


	3. Journey

**Alright, we got a few more shoutouts to make. We got a follow from Super-Spyro2015 and both a follow AND favorite from GennaiArakida-XIV! Thanks a million, guys. Now onto reviews.**

 **DreadedCandiru2 - Weird, right? You'd think Lincoln would be HAPPY to get rid of his oldest sister, maybe get some peace and quiet… but hey, I just write the story, I can't speak for the man, XD**

 **DarthSidious04 - Oh, I'm sure they do realize she can't be around them forever. It's just that with her going so far away when they didn't expect her to be more than a few miles, that's what gets to them.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Some things may seem ridiculous, but it ain't really supposed to be serious, so enjoy!**

* * *

 **10:00, Highway, Michigan...**

"Are we THERE yet?"

"Lola, we've been in the car for 10 minutes. We're NOT there yet."

"Ok, ok… but are we there yet?"

Luan put her head into her palm. Of course she was given the seat between the twins, of all places in the car. There was an entire row in the front that was pretty much empty; why did they have to sit in the same one?

The Louds had only been on the road for a few minutes up to that point. They had just exited Royal Woods and hopped onto the highway, where they would stay until they hit the promised land. In a way, it was a migration of epic proportions.

Luan, trying to take her mind off the twins, turned to the front seat.

"How are things going, Lis?"

"Very well, I must say," Lisa said from the passenger seat. Even though she was only four, an executive decision had been made for her to sit up front. The entire base of command was located there; GPS, a map (which Lincoln was currently reading,) spare bills for food and gas, and the home phone; Luna had insisted on bringing it in case their parents called.

Lincoln looked down at the map, studying it intently.

"Alright, so according to the map, we SHOULD be crossing into Ohio before-"

"SHHHHHH!" Lynn said, throwing her hand over his mouth. "Dude! You can't say that word!"

"What?"

"Uhh, you know? O-h-i-o?"

"-sigh- Lynn, if this is one of your stupid sports superstitions, then I'm not-"

"No, no, no, hear me out on this one! I promise you won't have to wear a squirrel suit this time, swear on Matt Staffords life!"

"Fine. What is it?"

Lynn sat up, obviously preparing some speech in the dark of the backseat.

"Well, it all started back in 1897, when two college football teams played for the first time. One was Michigan, who we all love, and the OTHER was a random school in the middle of Hicktown, USA, population: Loser…"

As Lynn rambled on about some rivalry hardly anyone had heard of, Luna stared out the window as the world passed by. She had her ear buds in, and had grown drowsy from the blur of lights out her window. She closed her eyes as the song played;

" _Through all these cities and all these towns,_

 _It's in my blood and it's all around,_

 _I loved you now like I loved you then,_

 _This is the road and these are the hands…"_

On the other side of the car, Lucy sat in the dark, Fangs on her shoulder. He had been domesticated after he flew into the house one night when she was around 6. The two had connected; Lucy's personality was inspired by Fangs.

"Hmmm... " she mumbled in a deadpan tone. "Fangs, what words rhyme with "Journey?"

The bat shrugged. Well, not really, but Lucy imagined he did. She smiled. The world wasn't SUCH a dark and lonely place with a friend around…

Leni focused on the road ahead of her. Normally, she would be in the back seat trying not to puke her guts out from all the movement, but this trip? She felt… CALM. Like a nice, soothing breeze had wiped her brain clean of her forgetfulness. That ray gun that Lisa shot her with… she needed that more often. It was REALLY working… well enough for her to drive, in fact. Lessons that Lincoln had taught her weren't as foreign as usual… she actually KNEW how to drive, which was a skill she had been using since they left 20 minutes ago.

In the back seat, Lily slept. The kids didn't know exactly how, since they had all been screaming since they got into the car, but it didn't matter. As long as she slept, they could yell as loud as they wanted.

The highway had crossed into the buckeye state a few miles back, a fact which Lynn didn't take too well. The rest of the car could care less about it, though.

"So, Lincoln," Luan asked her brother. "How exactly are we going to convince Lori when we get there?"

"Hmmm…" he thought, putting the map down. He hadn't actually thought that far ahead in the plan yet. As a matter of fact, he hadn't even thought of smaller details, such as food and restroom stops.

"Well… we'll go to her hotel room and convince her."

"Yeah, I get THAT… but is there any specific speech you have?"

"Of course there is! I just, uh, need to think of it!"

"So it's a no, then?"

"No! I mean, yes! Wait, no… ye- UGH!"

All of a sudden, the phone in the front seat rang. The kids fell silent.

"Lisa… get the phone!"

"On it," she curtly replied, picking up the phone as if she weren't worried her parents would find out their scheme.

"Hello? Yes… hmmm. Interesting. I'll see. Mmmkay, bye."

She hung up the phone and turned to the kids, who looked very, VERY confused.

"Telemarketer. Nothing that I coul-"

The car suddenly swerved to the left, throwing Lisa into the passenger side window. She fell back into the seat, dizzy, but otherwise ok.

"Ouch," she said unenthusiasticly. "Leni, what happened?"

"Huh?" Leni asked, turning her head. "I don't know… did I do something?"

"Uhhh, yeah! You swerved and threw Lisa into the window!"

"WHAT?!" she asked in a shout, her face stretching into a grimace. "B-but I didn't-"

"The PENS must be wearing off," Lisa muttered as she searched the floor for the ray gun. "No worries! I shall have her fixed in no time!"

On the other side of the road, a FedEx truck was crawling onto the highway from an entrance. Not noticing the van behind him, he jumped into traffic, cutting the line.

Leni noticed, this time hitting the brakes as she turned. The ray gun jumped out of Lisas hands, and flew in the air for a split second-

 **CRASH!**

Before it smashed the passenger side window and landing in the middle of the road.

"Well, then… maybe I won't."

The kids stared at the front seat, silently gaping at the turn of events. Leni was quickly becoming her normal self again, evident by the cars shaking and sudden swerves.

"Uhh, quick! Does anyone know how to drive?!" Lincoln yelled, leaning up front and turning his head back.

"No, dude! I haven't got my permit yet!"

"I've only driven my miniature tAAAAANK!"

The car lurched to the left, cutting over two lanes of traffic. Honks rose up in the air around the van as the kids recovered.

"Wait… did I do that?"

"Come on!" Lincoln asked in a panic. "SOMEONE has to know something!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"I'VE NEVER DRIVEN!"

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"

The van cut through traffic AGAIN, this time barely missing a sign on the right of the road. Leni turned just in time to avoid it, and Luna got a look at it.

"Dudes! We made it to Indiana!"

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE CARE RIGHT NOW, LUNA?!"

At last, someone managed to cut through and get to the front seat of the car, knocking Lincoln back as she made it.

"Move back, Leni!" Lola screamed as she pulled her sisters hair back. She yelped in pain, and the car turned AGAIN, throwing her onto Lisa.

"LOLA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"CAN IT, LINCOLN!" she yelled as she stood up to see the road. "I've driven my princess van enough! I know how to work this thing!"

"YOU CAN'T EVEN REACH THE PEDALS, DUDE!"

Lana popped her head up from the floor of the drivers seat, looking annoyed.

"Uhh, I'm here for a reason, thank you!" she said, ducking back under.

"Alright, Lana, press SLOWLY on the brake! Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah! Just slooowly…"

"That's not the brake, THAT'S NOT THE BRAAAAKE!"

"WE'RE GONNA DIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!"

"Wicked…"

A couple driving next to the van looked over, seeing a scene of utter madness in the car. The husband looked at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders and sped up to avoid the car.

"LANA! THE WIDE ONE!"

"Oooohhh!" she said in sudden realization, pushing the pedal down, the car slowly went from 90, to 80, to 70, all the way down to a cool and calm 60…

"Oh, thank god it's over…" Luan silently said as she threw herself back. The rest of them followed suit, breathing heavily.

"So… I did that?"

"-pant- Yes, Leni… -pant- YOU DID THAT!"

"Oh… ok!"

She hummed a tune to herself as Lincoln, exhausted, fainted.

 **Some Time Later…**

"Dudes… wake up!"

Lincoln slowly opened his eyes, still dazed by his brush with death. Luna was looking out the window, awe struck. By the sound the car made on the road, they were going over a bridge.

"What is it?"

"It's a city… a BIG one…"

He looked up and saw an illuminated blob of light, skyscrapers doting the landscape. Massive buildings were scattered throughout as Lola tried to contain herself from looking.

"Lana, press the brake some more…"

"You got it, sis! Got any more fries?"

"Oh, yeah, here," Luan said, throwing a fry down into the floor. "We stopped at McDonald's while you were out. Luna drove through, so we don't look suspicious."

"Yeah, dude, it was pretty cool. The dude looked spooked, though…"

Lincoln didn't care. He HAD to know where they were.

"Lisa, pull up the GPS. Where are we?"

"Hmm… according to this, we're in the third most populated city in the United States, common nicknames 'Windy City' and 'Chi-Town.' home of the professional sports teams, the-"

"Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, Blackhawks, Bears! Too easy!"

"Uhh… could you speak ENGLISH, Lis?"

"-sigh- We're in Chicago, genius."

A lightbulb went off in his head. Chicago… he had been here before. It hadn't been to long ago… he could remember it like it was day.

"Guys, we need to stop somewhere in the city."

They looked at him incredulously.

"Seriously? Highway driving is ONE thing, Lincoln, but-"

"No, no! I know a place we can stay! I'm sure of it! They won't turn US down!"

"What? Where are you… OOOOOOOOH…" Luan said, suddenly realizing. "Lincoln, they're probably asleep. No way they'll-"

"No, no, I'll call ahead! Let them know we're coming! Set the GPS!"

"-sigh- If this doesn't work, Lincoln, We're leaving you there…"

"Oh, trust me, it'll work…" he said, smiling. "We just need to watch out. Last time I was there, there was a VICIOUS street gang around the neighborhood…"


	4. Casa Grande

**A few more shoutouts to give before the next chapter. Props to Ink-Dub for the follow and Mer1381 for the favorite! You guys are the bomb dot com.**

 **Reviews:**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Oh, yeah, they're gonna be in LOADS of trouble. But you're just gonna have to read on, my friend!**

 **Minecraft Dude 1: Thanks very much dude. I try.**

 **Alright, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

"How much further, Lincoln?"

"Hold on, hold on… we SHOULD be turning onto Elm in a few blocks here…"

As Vanzilla made its way through the unlit streets of inner city Chicago, a feeling of unrest arose with its occupants. A train from the city metro rumbled overhead as they passed underneath an elevated track.

"Guys… I'm scared…"

"Yeah, me too…"

"Oh, don't be," he responded frankly. "Last time I was here nothing bad… happened…"

The car stopped as three figures jumped out in front of the road, hoods covering their facial features.

"Ok… they probably just need directions or something! No big deal…"

The first moved to the passenger side window, motioning for Lisa to roll it down. Despite her wariness, she complied, rolling down the slightly splintered glass.

"Alright, all of you out of the car, now," the man said in a gruff, Hispanic accent. "This isn't your territory. We're taking this as settlement."

"Wait… what?" Leni asked, her tone rising. "What are you…"

"Hey, nothing against you, chica," a second, more feminine voice said. "We don't want you hurt, you don't want us mad. Out of the car and it's a win-win."

"Look, I really don't think-"

The back door swung open, and a third, taller figure stood there. He was wordless as he grabbed Lincoln shoulder and dragged him to the street, motioning to the rest of the car for silence.

"Alright, so the talk is out. Who's next?"

He raised his right hand up, revealing an item that made blood run cold; a pistol.

"Cmon, you guys, we don't got all day! Someone get- AGH!"

A small, black mass leaped into the air, latching onto the man's shoulder. He flailed his arm, firing the weapon as he did. A mixture of hisses, yelps, and Lily's crying spread through the air.

"OH, SHIT, THE GANG IS HERE!" the girl yelled as three more masses leaped on her. The big man, noticing his friends down, began to run the opposite direction.

"¡LOS GATOS! ¡LOS GATOS!" He cried as the masses took him down, clawing and scratching. It was mass chaos as the kids jumped out of the car, not knowing what was going on. The blobs reached the car, scratching and tearing at leather and metal, all while engulfing the car in dust.

"AHHHHHH!" the kids screamed as the crowd dissipated, leaving behind the wreckage of a car.

"OH MY GOSH! VANZILLA!"

The car was completely wrecked; no windows or structure was left standing. The seats were scratched to the point of misery, and the steering wheel hung limp.

"Oh… oh, wow…" Lynn mumbled under her breath. The kids had wrecked Vanzilla before, but NOTHING compared to this… except, maybe, the Sweet Spot incident, which was a memory best left forgotten.

"Dudes… what do we do now?"

"Uhh…" Lincoln said, trying to think. "I think I know where we're going… alright! We have to push!"

 **5 Minutes Later…**

"Aleight, here we are! Casagrande Bodega!"

A small, dimly lit Bodega appeared under a streetlamp, looking as if it hadn't been occupied in ages. Moths hovered around the light above the door, floating lazily as they did.

"Uhhh… Linc, are you sure this is the place?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'd remember this place anywhere…"

He walked right past the door to the store and up a flight of stairs to the left, throwing his hands into his pockets for warmth. The sisters followed him, not sure of the plan.

"Alright, Puga, Mumy, Taber, Palmer… a-ha! Casagrande!" he said, pressing a button. A small buzz emitted, and seconds later a voice came through.

"Hello?" an older woman said, her voice tired. "Is this the delivery man? Place the milk outside! Talk to Hector, here he is…"

"I don't want the phone! Just, place it in the back, Jose! You don't need-"

"Uhhh, actually, this isn't the milkman…"

A hush fell over the speaker, and seconds later the voice returned.

"Wait… Lincoln?"

"Heh! Yeah…"

"Lincoln Loud, my granddaughters one and only, what are you doing out there?!" the lady said, practically yelling. "I'm sending Bobby down to get you!"

"Alright, thank you, Abuela… I, uh, actually have more than just me…"

"Oh, the more, the merrier! ROBERTO! I said to get to the door!"

"I'm going, grandma!" a familiar voice yelled. "Can you give me a second?"

"NO! THERE ARE PEOPLE DOWN THERE!"

"I'M GOING!" he yelled. A minute later, the outside door swung open, revealing a very tired face.

"Alright, whatever my grandma took from you at bridge last night, I'll give it right…"

He stopped and looked at the faces, and his eyes went from sleepiness to shocked.

"Wait… GUYS?! What are you-"

"Bobby, we need your help. Can we come in?"

"Yeah, sure!" he said quickly, openjng the door to let them in. "Lincoln, how did you-"

"Not important. We need to talk. NOW."

 **The Casagrande Living Room…**

"Roberto, you should have TOLD me that Lincoln was coming! These kids look famished!"

"Abuela, I told you, I had no idea they were coming!" Bobby said as he walked back in from the kitchen. "Which reminds me, what are you guys doing here?!"

"Well, we kind of have-"

"And where's Lori? You bring everyone in your family except my girlfriend, seriously…"

"Well, Bobby-"

"How did you even GET here! None of you can drive!"

"Well, actually, Leni did a half decent job for a half hour…"

"Oh, my god… where's Lori?"

There was an uneasy silence before Luna spoke up.

"She's… touring a college. In San Diego."

He looked at them with confusion before it turned to dread.

"Wait, she's touring Puebla?"

They nodded. Bobby sat down, shaken.

"Wow… she went all that way out of state for that place. That's crazy."

"We know!" Lola said. "She didn't even tell us until two days ago!"

"Yeah!" Lana said. "We were shocked!"

"Wow…" he said again, not really looking at them. "I didn't actually think-"

"Bobby, why are YOU surprised? Didn't you get accepted, too?"

He smiled… nervously.

"Well, uhh, heh! Actually, that's a long story…:

 **5 Seconds Later…**

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN APPLY?!"

"SHHHHHH!" Bobby hushed, looking nervously towards the door. "You really want to wake my family up?! Especially CJ?"

"No, no…" Lincoln said, knowing very well how CJ got when he didn't sleep. "It's just… Lori said you got in! And you're saying-"

"Yeah, she said that because I TOLD HER I got in…"

If looks could kill, Bobby Santiago would be having a funeral service. Lincoln had the eyes of a man that wanted nothing more than to strangle someone.

"YOU LIED TO MY SISTER?!"

"NO, NO! I just, I just wanted to-"

A hall light turned on, and a few seconds later, a girl walked out.

"Bobby, what are you-"

Ronnie Anne stopped when she saw the Louds on the couch. She didn't speak for a few minutes before she saw Lincoln.

"What… what are…"

"Uhh, hey, Ronnie," Lincoln stuttered, getting up. "We kinda, uhh, needed to stop in."

"...What are you DOING here, Lame-o? It's, like, midnight!"

"I know, I know! We had something come up and we need your help."

"Well, geez, it's a great time for THAT," she said, rolling her eyes. "Where's Lori?"

The hushed silence returned. This time, Bobby spoke up.

"She's touring the college in San Diego."

"Ooooh, Puebla? The one you got into, Bobby?"

The siblings glared at him. Bobby weakly coughed and smiled.

"Uhhhh… I actually… didn't apply in time."

Ronnie was on top of him in 3 seconds, knocking over a vase in the process (which Lynn caught.)

"YOU WHAT?!"

"Y-You heard me!" he said as she stood him up. "I forgot to get my- OOF!"

"ROBERTO ALEJANDRO, YOU TOLD ALL OF US YOU GOT ACCEPTED!"

"I LIED!" He said defensively, covering his stomach where she had punched him.

"Why?!"

"Because you were all so happy!" he spat out. "I wanted to make you guys proud of me!"

"Why WOULDN'T they be proud of you?" Lincoln asked him. "From the pamplet Lori got, only a few people get in…"

"-sigh- It's just… well, I didn't want my family on my case," he groaned, sitting down. "My mom and aunt have been pressuring me to choose, and it's just been stressful…"

"So you lied to them? Your own MOTHER?"

"You think I WANTED to?! I was gonna tell them I changed my mind! Enroll at the community college!"

"Well, good job, bozo!" Ronnie Anne said, standing up. "Now mom and Aunt Frida thinks you're some scholar student!"

"Well, I mean, a 85 isn't that bad…"

"Wait," Luna interuppted. "I thought you AND Lori were already going to the community college?"

"Well, we WERE… but then she saw the online ads for the school, and she was hooked. I tried to tell her we could pay less by staying here, but she was sold. And now she's probably choosing that place… over US."

Bobby looked miserable. He put his hands into his head, obviously stressed. Lincoln walked over and sat on the ground next to him.

"Bobby, we know how you feel. That's why we're trying to do something about it."

"-sniff- It's too late, bro. Once she sees that school in person, she's gonna choose it in a heartbeat! She's gonna leave! And leave everything behind!"

"Dude, chill out!" Lynn said. "We have a plan!"

"Yeah! Why do you think we're here?"

He looked up and turned to Lincoln, confused.

"What are they talking about?"

"Bobby, we're going to San Diego to get Lori. She can't choose that place! We're as scared as you are!"

"Yeah, but for two completely different reasons…" he said glumly. "She's gonna choose that place. She's said so many times she's going to… she's blinded by her ambition! I think… did I use that right, Lisa?"

"Affirmative."

"Sweet… but it's no use, guys. I'd say go back to Royal Woods. Save some time."

Lincoln stood up, staring at Bobby as he did.

"Bobby, do you love Lori?"

"Well… yeah, I do, but-"

"Do you love Lori enough to chase after her?"

"-sniff- I guess…"

"Bobby!" Luan said, understanding what Lincoln was trying to say. "Come with us!"

"What?!"

"Yeah!" Lana said. "Lori HAS to listen to YOU!"

"She'll HAVE to stay here if you tell her the truth!"

He stood up, looking a lot more annoyed than happy.

"No way, guys. My mom will never let me go that far away! And besides, I have to work at the-"

"The bodega will be fine."

They all turned their heads to see Hector and Rosa standing in the doorway. Bobby looked surprised.

"Papa? What do you-"

"Roberto, we heard everything," his grandmother said, walking over to him. "We think you should go. If you love this girl as much as you say, then she's obviously the one you were meant for."

"What she said," Hector replied. "We want you to be happy, Bobby. We'll tell your mother we sent you there by plane. She'll be fine."

"Geez…" he said. "Thanks, you guys. That-"

"Hey, hey, hey! What about me?" Ronnie Anne said, jumping up. "I mean, SOMEONE has to keep him in line!"

"Ronalda?" her grandma said, surprised. "Why, you have to stay here! Your mother would never-"

"Oh, Rosa, settle down! You know how YOU were when you was her age, remember?"

"-sigh- Hector, I wish you wouldn't remind me… but, alright. You can go too. We'll tell your mother it's a Casagrande family tradition or something. Carlos will play along."

"Sweet!" she said, running over to hug both her grandparents. "I'll pack my bag!"

She ran to her room to get ready. Bobby stood staring at the ground, still unsure.

"I still don't know, you guys… I need some more-"

"BOBBY! BOBBY!" A little boy yelled as he ran out into the living room. "IS IT TRUE?! IS BONITA CHIQUITA LEAVING?!"

"Woah, woah, CARLITO! Settle down!" Hector said, picking him up and taking him back. Carl cried out again.

"BOBBY! SAVE HER FOR MEEEEE!"

That seemed to settle it well enough for him.

"Come on, let's get ready."

 **10 Minutes Later…**

"You sure she's all fixed, Colin? She'll run all the way to Cali?"

"Ayyy, chico, I know what I'm doing! A 20-something man said, his dreadlocks sticking out from under his hat. "She'll run juuuust fine! I even fixed your window for ya! Good as new!"

"Well, thanks again. Here's the milk coupons," he said, handing over a stack of papers. Colins eyes lit up as he snatched the stack away and walked back into his house.

"Bobby, how did you know that guy?"

"Lincoln, if there's one thing I've learned through my time here, it's that there's ALWAYS one dude who can do anything for practically nothing at all. Now come on! We got a long drive ahead of us!"

The twelve people piled into the car and drove off, past the Bodega and on the way to San Diego...


	5. Fantasy

Vanzilla and her occupants slowly crawled it's way down the highway, stopping only occasionally for gas. They crossed into Iowa around four in the morning, unaware of the fact they'd switched states until they reached-

"Des Moines…" Lana said, trying to pronounce the name of the state capital. "Dees-Mones? Dez-Mona… no… Days Moan?"

"-sigh- NO, sibling, that's NOT how you say it…"

"Alright then, genius! If you're so smart, YOU say it!"

"Pshaw! Easy as cake! De Mo… wait… Dez Moon…"

"Ok, can we knock that off back there?" Bobby said from the drivers seat. "Let's just never say the name again, alright?"

They continued down the main street for a few miles before pulling off at a rest stop. Bobby turned to the back seat, a stern look on his face.

"Alright, we're only stopping for TEN MINUTES! I'm leaving you behind if you don't hurry up!"

The kids understood, each piling out of the car and walking into the building. It was rather spacious; enough room to take up two Loud houses. A giant map of Iowa hung behind the pay phones, a red dot showing their exact location in the state.

The people didn't seem to care, though. The sisters had already run over to the adjacent grocery store, and Ronnie Anne was sleeping in the car. That left Lincoln alone to look at the map, which he did in a silent awe.

"Huh," he thought to himself. Up to that moment, he had never really realized how… SMALL he was compared to the world. Sure, he was pretty big for his age, but now? There was a whole state that he'd barely ever HEARD of, and he barely took up ANY space. It was like he was… irrelevant. And that thought in itself scared him.

"Pretty impressive, huh?"

He turned his head, only to step back. There was a girl standing next to him, though where she'd come from was a mystery. She seemed… familiar, though. As if he had seen her somewhere…

"Yeah, it's pretty cool. Could be bigger."

"I guess so… it needs some more personality. Iowa's just such a BORING state…"

"Yeah, heh…" he chuckled, looking close at the girl. She was about his height and age, and… she had white hair? It was in a bun, but it was the same shade of pasty white as his. She wore an orange sweater and a blue skirt, and her teeth were the same shape as his - bucked.

Where had he seen this girl before?

"So… I'm Lincoln."

"Linka. Nice to meet you."

They stared longer at the map, wondering about their places in it all…

"So… where are you from?" she asked, not looking away from the picture.

"Oh, Michigan. It's a long story."

"Really? Huh… im going to Michigan. And believe me, I probably have a crazier one."

"Ha!" he snorted. "Seriously? I've had some crazy stuff happen to me, but this? This is a whole new level."

"Yeah, well, try coming here from California and you'll get it," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's been a LONG ride…"

"California?" he asked, looking her way. "Funny. That's where I'm going."

"Ha! Have fun… it's not at all like the TV says it is."

"What do you mean?"

She looked down at her feet, taking a deep sigh.

"Well… for starters, it's too big. You can spend a decade going everywhere and still have space you haven't seen."

"Yeah… that's how Michigan feels sometimes. I mean, it isn't BAD, but places like Detroit? Easy to get lost."

"Well, good thing I'm not going there then… do you know where Royal Woods is?"

He looked at her with disbelief.

"Do I know? Uh, I live there!"

"Seriously?" she asked, returning his shock. "No way!"

"Uh, yes way! I've lived there my whole life!"

"Wow, small world…" she said as she looked to the map again. "I'm going to the college there. Like I said, it's a long story."

"Well… I've got a lot of time."

"Hmm… doubt that, but alright. So basically my brother got accepted to this really nice college all the way in Michigan, and we're going over to try and get him to stay."

"Huh… not really THAT crazy… people have done worse than that."

"Yeah… it's just stressful, I guess…"

There was silence for a few moments as they stared back at the wall once more. A smooth tune came onto the radio, bathing the silence with harmony:

" _Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine?_

 _My darling, dear, love you all the time,_

 _I'm just a fool, a fool in love,_

 _With you…"_

Lincoln spoke again, trying to lessen the awkward feeling between the two.

"Um… who are you here with? Your parents?"

"Oh, no… they're already in Michigan. Me and my brothers are driving."

"Huh… how many brothers do you have?"

She looked away, and silently, she mumbled a few words.

"Uhh… ten, but that really isn't…"

"Wait, you have ten brothers?"

"-sigh- Yeah… I don't like telling people, though. They think it's-"

"Oh, don't worry!" he said, holding his hands up. "I know how you feel. My sisters are the same way…"

"Oh, you're lucky… I've always wanted a sister… pretty sure that's the only reason my parents kept trying after me."

It was at that moment when a boy walked up next to Linka, a look of concern on his face. He wore a turquoise sweater and a pair of khakis.

"Linka, come on! We have to get to the car before Bebe leaves us here!"

"Oh, ok! I'll be right there, Loni!" she said as he ran to the exit… running into a wall before he reached the door.

"That happens often?" Lincoln asked, trying not to smile.

"-sigh- He always does that. My mom says it's something with his head."

"Yeah, my sister's the same way… we actually have a lot in common, don't you think?"

"Heh… if you're implying something here, I've already got someone, Linc."

"Oh, no! I wasn't… what I meant was… uhh… I'm eleven! I don't care about that!"

"Oh, lighten up! I'm messing with you!" she laughed, elbowing him. "I better get going, though. Bebe was mad when we got out of the car…"

"Yeah, I better get something to eat anyway… California is still far off."

"Yeah…"

They stayed in their spots, however, not moving. There was a lingering feeling that these two… knew something more.

"Lincoln?"

"Yeah?"

"Have… have I seen you before?"

He thought for a minute, looking up at the map as if it could give him guidance on the issue.

"Hmm… I don't THINK so? Maybe."

"Ok…" she said, her face turning red. "I just… feel like I KNOW you from somewhere."

"To be honest? I felt that way too…"

They looked at each other, not sure where they had met before… at last, she turned towards the exit, looking nervous.

"Well… I gotta go. I'll… uhh, see you-"

"Wait!"

She turned around again, almost immediately. Her eyes were lit up with a faint spark, maybe a small hope that he knew who she was.

"Do you… want my phone number? You know, in case we remember each other?"

She thought for a minute… then smiled.

"Yeah… yeah, I'd like that."

They walked to each other, each pulling out their phones. They traded numbers, each typing furiously as if they'd forget it forever if they didn't get it all down.

They finished, and looked at each other with mutual admiration.

"Well… good luck with your brother, I guess…" he said, feeling his cheeks turn red

"Yeah… well text each other later, right?"

"Sure! Tell me all about-"

"LINCOLN!"

"LINKA!"

Luan walked up to her brother as a taller boy who uncannily looked like Luan walked over to Linka.

"Where have you been?! We need to get to Vanzilla!"

"Linka, who is this?! We need to leave!" the boy said, stopping to look at the girl.

"Oh! Uhh… nice outfit."

"Oh… thanks. You'res isn't too bad."

"Ehh, it's pretty PLAID if you ask me… ha ha! Get it?"

"Oh, boy…" both the kids groaned as they were led to the exit. They stepped out into the pale, early morning moonlight as cars whizzed down the highway, each preoccupied in their own worlds…

"Well… see you later."

"Yeah… see ya."

Lincoln and Linka took one last glance at each other as they got into their respective cars. A quick smile, and the car had pulled out, most likely never to be seen again.

Bobby sat in the car, tapping his finger on the wheel. Ronnie Anne lay snoring on the seat, not haven been waken by the stop.

"About time! I almost left you here!"

"Sorry, sorry… I was busy."

"Well, be thankful that Leni bought you time. Who was that girl?"

He looked out the window as he watched them pull out onto the highway, turning and driving in the opposite direction of Linkas car, towards Nebraska and beyond.

"I don't know…" he said. "But it seemed like she was a dream…"


End file.
